


This Feeling

by michaely



Series: Ain't Ever Getting Older [3]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/F, Kate cameo FTW!, Romance, pricefield, updated with the hot and steamy Max/Chloe scene that the most zealous pricefielders demand!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:32:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25346254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/michaely/pseuds/michaely
Summary: "You're the one that I want. If that's really so wrong, then they don't know what this feeling is like."The Partners in Time have overcome catty classmates, psychopath teachers, even the forces of nature. But for their fairytale ending, they'll need to smash apart their own insecurities and flaws, go beyond the limits of their frailties, push aside their preconceived notions of love and life for the sake of each other. Sequel to "Chainsmoking" and "Takeaway," the conclusion to the "Ain't Ever Getting Older" series.This is my attempt at what I hope will be a finale worthy of our beloved heroes. Pricefield, post-"Sacrifice Arcadia Bay" ending.
Relationships: Maxine "Max" Caulfield & Chloe Price, Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price
Series: Ain't Ever Getting Older [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1819399
Comments: 34
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

“Here you go.” Max brings a bowl of green onions she had just finished chopping over to Zach, who stands before the stove as he tends to his stir fry.

“Just right on top is OK,” he instructs his girlfriend. Max pours the batch over the beef and vegetables in the wok. With a practiced hand, Zach tosses everything together.

“You didn’t have to do all this, Zach,” says Chloe as she pours a few glasses of raspberry lemonade. “It wasn’t my intention for anyone to make a big deal about me.”

“No don’t be silly,” Zach responds. “I wasn’t gonna have Max be stuck in the kitchen all day when her best friend comes to visit.”

Having finished the cook, Zach shuts off the heat. On top of the counter he sets three plates (painted with the pattern of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”) and spoons out some jasmine rice onto each. Next to the rice he doles out portions of his stir fry. The steam from these two items rises up and melds together. The smell of garlic and chilis blasts Chloe in the nostrils, and her mouth starts to water.

Zach takes off his apron (the one with “Kiss The Cook” on the front) and carries his and Max’s plates to the glass top dining table. Chloe grabs her serving while Max sets out the silverware. The trio take their seats, Max and Zach on one side and Chloe opposite them.

“Max has been raving about this since she first met you,” Chloe says, scooping up a few pieces of everything onto her fork, then into her mouth. “Mm.” She sighs in contentment. “This is amazing. The ginger and soy marinade really makes it.”

“I feel like I rushed it a bit this time, but I’m glad to hear it turned out all right,” Zach replies.

“We should consider ourselves lucky,” Max points out to Chloe. “Usually he only has time to cook on Fridays.”

“Yeah, these days I’m up to my ass crack in essays to grade,” says Zach as he takes a sip of his lemonade. “By the way, Chloe, where are you staying while you’re in town?”

“Hostel in Chinatown.”

“You sure you don’t want me to make up the guest room?” Zach offers.

Max can’t help but glance a bit uneasily at Chloe, who quickly picks up on it. “Nah, don’t worry. I don’t mean to intrude on you guys. I’m really just here for a quick and simple visit. Couldn’t let Max have her birthday without me, could I?”

“Well now that you bring it up, there is a favor I wanted to ask about that.”

“It’s not that big a deal, Zach,” Max lightly protests.

“Come on, you deserve it,” Zach insists to her.

“Go ahead,” Chloe says. “Lay it on me, Lurch.”

“Like you said, Max’s birthday is coming soon. But I’m scheduled for classes all day, and I have to be in bed early that night because I’ll be getting up at the crack of dawn for a faculty retreat. I think it’d be a shame if Max had to be alone her entire birthday. Do you think you could take care of her that night?”

“But we already have a bunch of plans for the weekend,” Max counters in her usual humble way.

“Your birthday’s only once a year,” Chloe intercedes. “It needs to be special. Come on, we always have a great time together. Don’t we?” Chloe holds her sly glance on Max. The intensity in Chloe’s cool blue eyes leaves Max frozen. Max is at once both thrilled and terrified at the possibilities with Chloe.

Max needs to look away to catch her breath. “Su--sure,” is her eventual response.

“Glad to know she’ll be in good hands,” Zach states.

While popping a piece of bell pepper into her mouth, Chloe shoots a wink at Max, whose heart leaps into her throat for just a moment.

Zach’s phone starts to buzz. “I have to take this. It’s the department head,” Zach explains. “Excuse me.” He leaves the table to take the call in the other room.

For a little while, the girls sit in a silence which is punctuated only by the clinking of silverware.

“I was surprised when you told me you were coming,” Max breaks the silence. “You were always telling me how it’s hard for you to get out of work.”

“What can I say? I missed the hell out of you,” is Chloe’s unabashed reply.

Max feels herself heating up from the incoming blush in her cheeks. She takes a sip of her drink to cool off.

* * *

The three spend the later evening watching a few of the concluding episodes to the Gundam Wing series. Zach manages to make it pretty far into Final Victor before finally succumbing to sleep on the recliner. Max walks over to the linen closet and retrieves a woolly blanket to put over him. She brushes aside some unruly strands of hair that had fallen across his face and places a soft kiss on his forehead.

Max returns to her seat on the couch. The final scene now plays on the TV screen.

Relena walks through the cabin of the space shuttle and notices the teddy bear and note on her seat. “Huh?” is her response.

Max reaches into the bowl of popcorn placed between herself and Chloe on the couch. Chloe absentmindedly digs around too. The tips of their fingers brush past each other. Both girls jump slightly. It’s surprising how much energy still exists between their touch.

Relena opens the note and scans a few lines. “What?” she says.

Max quickly withdraws her hand. She glances over at Chloe to see if perhaps she felt the same thing. Max finds Chloe’s expectant gaze.

Relena runs to the window and looks out.

Instead of meeting Chloe’s look, Max shifts her attention back to the TV.

Relena sees Heero walking away from the shuttle. “Heero!” she calls out to him. Heero looks back.

Chloe has put the bowl down onto the coffee table, removing the barrier between herself and Max. Chloe scoots in closer. Max remains still, continuing to look straight ahead, undecided between fleeing or giving in to Chloe.

Relena elegantly tears the note into two neat halves.

Chloe places a hand on Max’s cheek.

Relena says to Heero, “Next time, hand it to me in person.”

Chloe turns Max’s face. Max can only offer minimal resistance. The partners in time are facing each other once again.

Heero smiles back at Relena and walks away. Relena watches him as the score swells to its crescendo.

Chloe draws closer to Max. Max’s breathing gets shorter and shorter. The girls feel the warmth of each other’s respective breaths.

The punchy synth intro to Rumi Ohishi’s “It’s Just Love!” plays as the episode concludes. Max and Chloe’s eyes dart toward Zach, who stirs in his seat. They scramble to distance themselves on the couch.

“Shit,” Zach says, a heavy haze of sleep still hanging above him. “Sorry. I was always the lame kid at the slumber party. Falling asleep first.”

“I get it, dude. Long day,” Chloe tries to sound as casual as possible.

Zach rubs his eyes. “I think I’ll just turn in.”

“Yeah, I’m sleepy too,” Max announces.

“You sure?” Zach asks, “I mean, Chloe--”

“No, it’s OK,” Chloe replies. “It’s late.”

“All right then. It was good to see you, Chloe.”

“You too, scarecrow.”

Zach walks over to Max and kisses her on the cheek. Max tries to receive him as naturally as possible. But had he not been so groggy, he probably could’ve noticed something was off.

“I’ll see you in bed?” he asks her. Max nods.

As Zach retreats to the bedroom, Max breathes a sigh of relief. She and Chloe walk to the front door. Max opens it for her.

Once again the tension lingers oppressively between the two.

With a perfunctory wave goodbye, Chloe walks out the door. Max shuts it behind. She can’t help but sense Chloe’s touch still on her skin.


	2. Chapter 2

As Max made her way through the Georgetown campus on this particular evening of September 21, the sun had long ago dipped below the horizon. The humdrum had died down, the school's students and faculty having already retired to the confines of their homes and beds. The lights in all the buildings had been shut off, including at Yates Field House. Max doubts for a moment if she had gotten Chloe's instructions correct, but as Max gets to the front door, the lights in the lobby turn on, illuminating Chloe's figure. A wide grin spreads across Max's face. Despite her initial trepidation at the prospect, Max is sure there isn't anyone else she'd rather share this day with.

Chloe opens the door for Max and ushers her to come inside. "The guest of honor arrives."

"Thanks again for arranging this," Max says.

"No big deal," Chloe replies, "Just had to find me an easily bribed security guard who didn't ask too many questions."

The best friends walk past the unmanned front desk and to the elevator, which they take up to the Lobby Level. As Chloe leads her through the women's locker room, a strange familiarity creeps its way into Max. Chloe pulls open the door on the other side, and Max takes in the view of the McCarthy Pool. She laughs aloud upon the realization of what Chloe is trying to recreate.

Max, still beaming, can only offer an "Oh my gosh," as a reaction. How amazing it is for Chloe to know exactly the right way to make her smile.

Chloe takes special pride in the joy she's brought to Max. "I really wanted to do it all up with banners and lights and everything, but you understand if I wasn't exactly given so much notice."

"No really, this is great." For Max, it's already enough that Chloe is there, already enough to be able to reflect on better times that Max thought had passed them by for good.

"But," Chloe pulls out her phone from her pocket, "I at least could arrange for some tunes." As she pushes play, Joey McIntyre's breathy voice speaks out through the PA system.

_"Baby, listen to me._

_If I had the chance, I'd say the words."_

"Holy shit!" Max exclaims. "You remember this?"

"Bringing out all the hits tonight," Chloe brags. "And," she continues, "Since you are older and wiser this time, I think we need to turn up the stakes a little."

_"The bluest of blue, that's what her eyes are..."_

In her usual flippant manner, Chloe starts undressing, first pulling her tank top over her head and then kicking off her tattered jeans.

It's been years since Max has seen Chloe so bare. Max's heart thuds relentlessly against her chest. Her lungs can't fill up quickly enough to stave off the dizzying high overtaking her head.

Chloe explains further, "When I was telling you that tonight there's no dress code," Chloe unclasps her black bra and tosses it aside, "What I meant was," Chloe grasps at her orange panties with the palm tree designs, then pulls them down over her ankles, "The code is no dress."

Max feels every inch of herself begin to tingle. She swallows the lump in her throat while her legs nearly turn to jello. 

"Well," Chloe peers at Max, "I show you mine, you show me yours." Chloe raises her eyebrows suggestively. "Right?"

Max responds with a chuckle which comes off way more awkward and goofier than she intended. "OK, that's only fair," Max concedes. "But," a mischievous thought pops into her mind, "You know I've always been shy."

"Mmhmm."

"So I want you to turn around. You can look after I'm done."

The gears start turning in Chloe's brain, but she isn't able to sense any immediate danger. Just as Max had hoped. Chloe turns away from Max, who with a giggle, swiftly ambushes Chloe with a shove from behind. Chloe lets out a sharp squeal as she flies forth and crashes into the water. With her eyes still bugged out in shock, Chloe looks up and sees Max almost collapsing from laughter at poolside.

Chloe emerges from the water. "You are so dead!" she calls out playfully. With lightning quick agility, Chloe bounds up and rushes toward a guffawing Max. Chloe snatches up Max onto her shoulder and dives again into the water, this time also dragging her partner in time into the pool.

Max needs some time to orient herself underwater but eventually finds Chloe looking back at her. Chloe's blue hair is practically dancing as it swishes around the pleasant angles of her face. Chloe's steely eyes are focused and intense as usual, but somehow in her is where Max finds all the comfort she needs.

_"I couldn't lie._

_She couldn't wait._

_'I love you' came too late."_

* * *

_"We don't talk anymore."_

By the time Charlie Puth's tenor vocals come in from the speakers, Max and Chloe had already worked through a few rounds of Lime-A-Rita. Max eventually relented and joined Chloe in stripping down. Max was always amused by how Chloe could methodically break down her inhibitions. They currently find themselves floating on their backs, just as they were doing at the Blackwell pool all those years ago.

"I feel like I should be really thankful for him," Max confides in Chloe. "He's always been so dedicated. Even from the first date. You remember that carnival? He was trying to win this stuffed panda for me from the ring toss game. And you know those things are always rigged. But he just wouldn't give up."

"I thought you explained very clearly it wasn't a date."

"Well, I had to revise a few things about my expectations that night. For example, you ended up being completely right. I should've, you know, 'thought further ahead.'"

Chloe needs a little time to recall what Max is referring to, but once she gets it, she's honestly quite floored. "Max, you saucy minx!"

"Hey, I have needs too. You of all people should know what that's like."

"Cheap shot!" Chloe protests in (mostly) jest as she splashes Max.

They don't express it to each other, but both of them simultaneously come to appreciate so thoroughly this rare chance to simply laugh together. For this single fleeting instance they are free from the baggage of past mistakes, free from doubts of the future.

"Seriously," Chloe posits to Max, "Are you happy with him?"

The other girl sighs hugely. "I think of it this way: happiness isn't something you can achieve." Max wades over to poolside and retrieves another drink from the cooler. She pops open the can and takes a deep swig. "Happiness is more of a predisposition. Like having perfect pitch or good taste in neckties."

_"We don't laugh anymore."_

Max continues, "If you're born a happy person, good for you. If not..." She shrugs as she fiddles with the tab of the can. "If not, just try your best to do the right thing. Make others feel good, help the world be better. That should be enough, no?"

Chloe rolls the thought around in her head for a little bit. "I don't think I'm so sure about that."

_"I just hope you're lying next to somebody who knows how to love you like me."_

"Then what is happiness?" Max asks, "According to you?"

Chloe can't be sure if she had been premeditating this all along, but she finds herself drawing closer to Max. The gentle ripples in the water caused by Chloe's movements caress Max's skin. Max can only take a short step back before she ends up leaning against the cold and slick tile of the pool wall. Chloe still advances. She places both hands against the pool edge, her slim yet strong arms enclosing Max on both sides. Max has nowhere to go but finds that she doesn't desire to go anywhere else.

"I was happy when I was with you," Chloe finally confesses. Max tries to look away in an effort to keep herself from melting under Chloe's gaze, but Chloe places a gentle hand under her chin and redirects her attention.

_"Don't wanna know if you're looking into her eyes."_

"My happiness," Chloe goes on. The kiss that Chloe places on Max is soft and short, but it still causes both girls' synapses to go haywire. "It's your lips," Chloe briefly plants her mouth on Max's again. Bliss and desperation and confusion smash together in their hearts and minds. "It's your skin," Chloe moves on to the nape of Max's neck. Now free from Chloe's kiss, Max's mouth lets out a moan of satisfaction.

_"I overdosed._

_Should've known your love was a game."_

"My happiness," Chloe traces her finger down Max's chest, in between her humble breasts. "It's you." Chloe hand creeps down past Max's navel. "It's always been you." Her hand travels lower still.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I seriously am uncomfortable writing the steamy and sticky stuff. I am far from what you could consider an erotic writer. But I know it's a hallmark of any Pricefield fic worth its salt. Hopefully you guys have found it worthy of at least a little dash of salt. Hopefully it doesn't come off as pandering. I think it's important to establish the level of intimacy so as to firm up the emotional stakes of where we're heading.


	3. Chapter 3

Max is seated on the cold concrete floor surrounding Georgetown University's McCarthy Pool. She has gotten dressed again, her Hawt Dawg Man T-shirt and faded jeans having been laid out to dry a while ago. She dries her hair with an aquamarine beach towel, a souvenir Chloe had brought back from a road trip to Santa Monica. For as easily as she had lost herself while engulfed in Chloe's kiss and Chloe's touch, Max's mind has now just as quickly snapped back to reality. Her heart hangs heavy with the realization of the consequences she'd now have to confront.

Sensing Max's unease, Chloe kneels down next to her and brushes away some of the auburn locks away from Max's face. Chloe moves to place a reassuring kiss on Max's cheek, but Max immediately recoils.

"I have to go," Max calls out as she gets to her feet in haste. She slips her flats back on and snatches her messenger bag from the ground. Upon reaching the exit, she pauses for a moment, but still can't find it in herself to look back at Chloe. "I really did have a nice time. Thank you." Abruptly, she pushes open the door, which resounds with a metallic clang.

Chloe is left stock still on that same cold concrete floor.

* * *

It was almost a half hour ago when Max had pulled her bumblebee yellow Nissan Leaf into the driveway of the modest home she shared with Zach. Yet she remains seated in her car. She's sure Zach had long since gone to bed. Still, even the remote possibility of having to face him after what she's done, that petrifies her.

Having finally built up her resolve, Max leaves her car and enters her home. As expected, everything is dead silent, all lights turned out. She goes to the bedroom and sees Zach sleeping soundly, tucked cozily under the down comforter.

Max gingerly makes her way into the bathroom and turns on the hot water to the shower. She scrubs at her skin for what feels like hours, trying to remove not just the smell of chlorine but also the lingering sensation of Chloe's fingers and lips. She doesn't quit until she feels stinging from being rubbed so raw. She shuts off the water and wraps a towel around her body. Through the steam she can see Zach getting out of bed. She pushes down the lump in her throat as she steps into the bedroom.

"Hi, honey." Zach greets her with a smile, as fully kindhearted as he can muster while still being so sleepy. "You're back late."

"Y-yeah," replies Max, not able to completely meet his gaze just yet, "It was fun."

"That's great to hear. You deserve it. Happy birthday, babe."

Zach offers her a soft peck on her forehead. Max receives it with trepidation, the guilt making her feel entirely unworthy of this affection.

"I better get ready for the day," Zach says. He starts for the bathroom, but Max snatches him by the wrist and pulls him back toward her. "Whoa!" is all he can let out before his mouth is smothered in her kiss.

She forces her tongue onto his as she grasps him around the face with both hands. Breathing heavily, Max removes her towel and carelessly throws it to the side, knocking over the lamp on her nightstand in the process.

"I want you inside me," Max calls out in desperation as she falls back onto the bed, pulling him down on top of her along the way. Max wraps her arms around Zach's neck and ensnares him in another frantic kiss.

After overcoming his initial shock, Zach carefully turns his face away from Max so he can get the chance to speak. "Max, is--is everything OK?"

Max stops her machinations and releases her hold on him. Zach lifts herself off her and sits next to her on the bed.

"What's wrong?" Max asks as she sits up too. "You don't want me?"

"What? No, that's not it." Zach turns to face her directly and places a hand on her delicate, bare back. "It's just, you're not like this."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to--"

"You don't have to apologize. Come here."

Max scoots as close to him as possible, allowing herself to be curled up wholly in his arms. She nestles her cheek against his chest.

"I just want you. I love everything you are," Zach reassures her in his dulcet tone, "exactly as you are. Don't forget that, OK?"

Max nearly weeps from how touched she is by these few simple words. This is enough for her to be certain that she can never again betray the trust of someone who devotes himself so much to her. "Thank you," she replies with a sniffle. "I guess I had a little too much to drink is all."

"It's fine. As long as you could enjoy your birthday. And you know what? When I get back, I'll make sure we have some alone time for us too. Sound good?"

"Yes. Sounds great."

Zach plants a kiss atop her head. Max returns his smile with as much affection as she can manage. She strongly hopes this can only grow as the years go by.

"Go on, get ready. Don't want you to be late," Max says.

Zach caresses her cheek before leaving the bed to get on with his routine. Max crawls beneath the covers and lies back onto her pillow. She recalls her words to Chloe: "Make others feel good, help the world be better." That will be enough.

It has to be.

* * *

Max spends the following day making special preparations for Zach. Even though they are still technically in the process of celebrating her birthday, she feels more motivated than ever to make this day, and in fact the rest of the days they are to spend together, spectacular for him.

She cooks a special meal of chicken piccata, having gotten the recipe from Zach’s mom (in spite of her ongoing assertions that it’d be too complicated for Max to make). She goes to a shop for intimate apparel and picks up a pale pink babydoll negligee, which she now wears as she spritzes herself with Chanel No. 5. She’s in the process of teasing her hair a little to instill some more volume when she receives a notification on her phone that Zach’s Uber is soon to arrive. She touches up her cherry red lipstick one final time.

As the front door lock clicks open, Max seats herself on the couch and tries to assume (as best she can anyway) a seductive pose. She realizes that her efforts may have been for naught when she sees Zach stumbling toward the living room. She had been around Chloe enough to recognize when someone had overindulged in imbibing.

“Whoa now,” Zach exclaims, speech quite obviously slurred. He had been trying to slip off his sneaker, but this simple action has caused him to nearly topple. He manages to stabilize himself against the wall.

“Are you OK?” Max approaches him with a chuckle.

“Max?” he calls out. He opens his eyes extra wide, vision quite blurry but trying his best at taking in the full sight of his stunning girlfriend before him. “Wowsers! You look, like,” his woozy mind struggles to fish out the right words from his vocabulary, “just fucking amazing.”

“Well,” Max giggles in response, “doesn’t that make a lady feel extra special?”

“And is that...” Zach sees the dinner spread out on the dining table. “Mom’s chicken piccata? I haven’t had this in forever! You and me, let’s have some right now. Food, like, in our mouths and to the stomach and so on.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Absolutely yes!” He oafishly plops himself into the dining chair, but the force with which he comes down throws the seat off balance. Max has to catch him to prevent him from teetering over.

“OK,” Max says, straining to right his orientation again. “I think it’s better if you just went to bed.”

“But you took all the time to make this, and I wanna have a nice dinner with my totally incredible girl.”

Max honestly finds Zach’s semi-whining tone to be quite endearing. It just goes to show how much it means to him that he gets to spend time with her.

“Look,” Max takes Zach’s face into her hands and gets close to him so he doesn’t have to strain so hard to see. “This is just the beginning. We are going to have so many more days, so many more chances to make wonderful memories between us.” She gives him a reassuring smile. “For now, though, I think you really need to get some rest.”

“Roger that,” Zach concludes with an audible belch.

Max catches a whiff and can’t help but scrunch her face. “Johnnie Walker Blue, huh?” She recognized the scent from all those Christmases when her dad would sing “Jingle All The Way” just a little too merrily. “At least those professors have some refined tastes.”

Supporting Zach’s arm on her shoulder, she helps him get to his feet, and the couple carefully make their way to the bedroom, Zach leaning on Max for support.

“I gotta tell ya,” Zach goes on, “Those sexagenarians really love their brown liquor.”

Max helps Zach remove his Georgetown hoodie and the other shoe that he had been unsuccessful in shimmying off previously. Zach falls back onto the mattress, the springs squeaking from the impact. Not wanting to bother him with getting under the covers, Max gets a spare blanket from the linen closet and places it over him. Zach immediately curls up underneath, drawing the fabric close to his chest. A restful sleep isn’t too far behind. With a slight grin, Max places a gentle kiss on his forehead.

* * *

Max is packing the dinner into some Tupperware containers. By now she had changed into a more modest and practical outfit, that white T-shirt with the polka dots and three chickens and also a pair of plaid pajama bottoms. She takes a sip from her glass of chardonnay when she hears knocking on the front door. Having not planned for any visitors, she’s hesitant to answer. Upon opening the door, she sees Chloe, who offers her a sheepish wave in greeting.

“Chloe, what are you doing here? Zach is home.”

“Then can we talk outside?”

Max checks behind her and glances into the bedroom. Confirming that Zach is still sleeping, she cautiously steps out to join Chloe on the front yard. A sudden gust kicks up, so she draws her arms around herself.

Chloe fiddles with her necklace before beginning, “We can’t just leave things like last night.”

Max had been dreading facing this ever since she accepted Chloe’s touch in the first place. The young girl sighs hugely.

Chloe continues, “I know things are only this complicated because I’ve been so selfish and stupid. I wish I could’ve been as sure as you’ve been for all this time, but I’m swearing to you that now I know I love you. Last night, I want that. I want us to have that every day, for as long as we have. And I know better than most that we’re never sure exactly how much time any of us have left. So please, can we not waste any more of our lives being somewhere we’re not meant to be? Zach is,” Chloe sighs too, as she needs to catch her breath from the torrid pace she’s been speaking with, “He’s fine. He’s kind, polite, everything you want. But don’t stay here just because you’re bored or you’re frustrated with your photography or you don’t know what to do with your life or because you think I’ll let you down again. I’m here now, and from now on, I’m only going wherever it is you go. Because I know I belong with you. Don’t you believe that too?”

During Chloe’s speech, a torrent of tears has welled up from Max’s eyes and now her face is drenched. She weeps into her hands for a few moments. When she looks back up at Chloe, Max’s expression is one of defeat.

“You don’t get it,” Max finally speaks up. “I can’t do this with you anymore, Chloe. I’m not here because any of what you said.” Max sniffles, attempting to stifle any more incoming sobs. “I’m with Zach because he fell in love with me. He fell in love with me, and I let him because from the beginning he’s given me everything in his heart. Without fear, without doubt, without hesitation, he’s been everything he could be for me. So he deserves me. I am NOT like you, Chloe Price.”

Chloe can’t be sure if Max had meant to hurt her, but that last remark left her profoundly wounded.

Max goes on, “I can’t just step all over someone’s heart and then go on with my life. I can’t just say to myself, ‘That’s just the way it is. It’s what I need to do.’” Max cries more intensely now as she has to reflect on some of Chloe’s worst treatment to her. “There are enough broken hearts in the world. Don’t make me responsible for another one. Life shouldn’t be so unfair. You had your chance, and now I have to ask you to go on without me.”

The tears come in earnest for Chloe now too. She has to cover her mouth with one hand to prevent herself from screaming in agony. “Max...” she tries to take a step toward her best friend.

“No, please,” Max puts up a hand in protest.

Her will having been drained, Chloe backs down. She’s ready to fall apart at any moment now.

Max takes a deep breath and tries to say these next few words with tranquility and compassion. “It does mean very much to me to know how you feel. Thank you. I’ll never forget you. I’ll never forget what we shared.”

Having resigned herself to this fate, the crying abates slightly for Chloe. All she can manage is to give Max a short nod in response.

Max steps back toward the door. She chooses not to look back at Chloe before shutting it behind. This time it’s Chloe who’s left with her tears.

Choking back the last of her sobs, Max wipes her eyes and nose. She walks back to the bedroom, where Zach is still asleep, exactly as she had left him.

She sits on the bed next to him. “You’re the best person I know,” she says gently, hoping that her words can still find their way to his consciousness. “And that’s enough.” She kisses him on the cheek and lies down, letting sleep take her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally planning only three chapters for this, but it turns out this part ended up being a little longer than anticipated. Plus, this way you guys get left in suspense for a little longer. Mwahaha!
> 
> The quotation marks and apostrophes are different in that final scene because I wrote part of this in the AO3 chapter editor and the rest in Microsoft Word. Sorry for the discongruous aesthetic. If it distracts you guys that much, just let me know and I'll try to edit each part individually :P.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if any of y'all were looking for this earlier. I decided last minute I wanted like an after-credits scene. Enjoy!

It was probably the sudden chill that had blown in through the open bedroom window. Most likely that was what had awoken him so abruptly. Zach usually liked the cool dampness of Washington DC nights this time of year, but the cold is especially intense now.

Noticing that Max isn’t around, he lifts his long limbs (still weighed down with the weariness of heavy day-drinking) up off the bed and lumbers over to the window. Just as he’s about to close it shut, he notices two figures standing in the front yard. Having fallen asleep with his contacts in, his vision was still quite cloudy, but he recognized Max’s slender frame and he figured the striking blue hair must belong to Chloe. The insistent cicadas make it difficult to catch all the entirety of the girls’ conversation, but Zach could hear enough of the key snippets.

“I love you.”

“I belong with you.”

“I can’t do this.”

“I’ll never forget you.”

The realization of the terrible truth causes his heart to sink to his guts. He wishes to cry out, but his breath catches in his dry throat. Somehow he summons the strength to drag himself back to bed. He settles onto the mattress, and upon hearing the front door open, he lies down again. He shuts his eyes again by the time Max walks back into the bedroom. He feels her sit down next to him.

“You’re the best person I know.” Somehow her words offer him little solace.

He feels her kiss on his cheek. Upon realizing that it will be the last, his first tear falls.

* * *

Zach had booked a birthday lunch for Max at Sequoia DC. The scene has been set immaculately, as always, bright red dining chairs standing in vivid contrast to pristine white tablecloths. The patrons speak in politely hushed tones while enjoying midday cocktails and contemporary American fare.

Beside the sprawling floor-to-ceiling window overlooking a majestic view of the Potomac River, Max and Zach are seated at one table along with Zach’s parents, Leonard and Ida Ettenberg. Mrs. Ettenberg is, similar to her son, tall and slender, though her stout posture gives her a more statuesque overall appearance than her son. She’s got high cheekbones and a pointed chin, pale blonde hair in a modest yet elegant lob cut.

Mr. Ettenberg is a balding man who has the same boyish features as his son. Behind his browline glasses, he wears an expression of unflappable tranquility. He is content to munch away on his cobb salad while his wife speaks.

“And I was telling Mrs. Fortescue that Oysters Rockefeller does NOT pair with the ’04 Riesling, but as usual, everything has got to be her way.” Mrs. Ettenberg takes a sip of her ice water, not so much to quench her thirst but seemingly moreso to prevent the gears in her jaw from overheating as a result of talking so quickly. Max often feels she can see sparks shooting out from there when Zach’s mom gets especially worked up. “Needless to say, the book club was not impressed with the hors d’oeuvre experience that evening, so now guess who’s been asked to host meetings for the rest of the quarter?”

Sensing a lull in the conversation and always invested in being polite, Max chimes in, “Um...congratulations?”

“Maxine dear, have you ever read Love for Lydia? It will absolutely change your life.”

“I will definitely check that out,” Max replies in her usual diplomatic way.

“Esteemed guests, may we have your attention?” A booming voice resounds from behind them. The group turns to see a team of seven cherub-faced young gentlemen wearing matching Georgetown blue sweater vests, white dress shirts, and gray slacks. Their leader seems to be a black kid with an afro of plentiful bouncing curls. He continues to speak with an unrelentingly genuine grin plastered across his face. “We are the Hoyaholics, Georgetown University’s preeminent a capella group. We heard that our faculty advisor, Mr. Ettenberg,” the leader pats Zach on the shoulder, “is celebrating the birthday of a lady friend.”

The attention of everyone else has been wrested now, so the eyes of all those other diners has ended up fixed on Max. While she usually isn’t comfortable being the focal point of any affair, the earnestness of Zach’s gesture still touches her.

The group leader continues, “We have prepared a performance that we hope can mark this day as an occasion that’s as special she is.” He turns to the rest of his vocalists, “One, two, one two three four.”

They begin:

_“There goes the girl who owns my heart--”_

“Stop!” Zach shoots up from his seat. “I’m sorry, I can’t. Just stop. I can’t do this.”

Without another word, he makes a beeline for the exit and pushes open the glass door. Max manages to overcome her initial shock and runs out after him, leaving everyone else speechless.

“Zach!” Max calls out. He keeps walking away, refusing to slow his pace and unable to bear to look at her. “Zach, just talk to me,” she insists. “Tell me what’s going on!”

By now he had reached the riverside pier. A drizzle had set in, forcing everyone else indoors. He stands by water’s edge with his head held low for a moment before finally speaking up. “I know. About you and Chloe.”

Max starts feeling lightheaded from panic. “I...” She’d always been a terrible liar, but under this duress, she’s got practically no chance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Please, this is killing me as it is. Don’t make me out to be a fool as well.”

Never one to give up on a cause, Max still doesn’t want to let this go. “Zach, your mom told me you were going to propose today. And I’m sorry she spoiled your surprise, but I’m going to say yes. You are--”

“The best person you know.”

“Exactly.”

She has managed to get within arm’s reach of him and grabs his hand. He finally looks back at her.

Zach turns to face her completely. He softly takes her delicate hand into both of his. He makes a memory of the feel of her touch, as he recognizes the finality of this moment. “I’m too good of a person, actually. Because up until now I was thinking to myself that it wouldn’t be so bad if you just stayed with me out of guilt. At least then, I’d still have you. That’s what I want, right?”

“Isn’t it?” Max implores.

“What I want,” Zach speaks with clarity, “is to make you happy.” He releases Max’s hand, realizing nothing of hers is for him to hold any longer. “Remember that night of the carnival? You wanted a caramel apple, but the food stands were already closed. So we drove to the grocery store, bought an actual apple and some instant caramel sauce. I had to beg the cashier to let me use the microwave in the break room.”

Max weeps at this story, a stark reminder of how dedicated Zach had always been to bringing joy to her life.

“Even back then, I was sure of it,” he explains. “Even then, I knew I’m supposed to do anything it takes to make you happy. I had hoped, foolishly I guess, that this meant being your husband.” From his pocket, he produces a small black box. He opens it and to reveal inside an engagement ring, a humble rose gold band with an oval cut diamond on top. “But if not...” He carelessly drops the box into the river.

Max audibly gasps. The current drags the treasure away.

“This is what I’m meant to do,” the man speaks with the serenity of someone who understands the worst pain of his life has already passed him by. “Don’t worry.”

Max isn’t sure if it will be welcome, but she leaps forth and wraps Zach in a hug. Tears of her own now mixing with the rain, Max tries to instill all her gratitude into her touch. Zach hesitates briefly to receive it, but eventually acknowledges her gesture.

“Go,” he says. “I’ll be OK. Go.”

Max releases her hold. She replies to Zach with a resolute nod and sets out on the path to her fate.

* * *

Max recalled the name of the hostel where Chloe was supposed to have been staying: Hostelling International. She must’ve called Chloe’s phone about a dozen times during the cab ride over, but it always kept going straight to voicemail. Either Chloe was too devastated to want to talk to anyone, or possibly she had just neglected to charge her phone. Both scenarios actually were just as likely. The driver drops Max off at the curb in front of the building. Her white sundress and cardigan had already been soaked through, but she keeps running up the stairs and through the front door.

After checking with the receptionist, Max learns that Chloe had recently checked out and took a taxi to the airport. Of course, Max realized, her flight back was for later today. Practically speaking, Max could simply wait for Chloe to turn her phone back on. She wasn’t going to be on blackout forever, after all. When the right time comes, Max can tell her the great news, and the reunion would be not so long thereafter.

Somehow that isn’t good enough, Max decided. She’s been waiting years for this chance. Why should she have to waste any more time without the love she’s been craving for so long? She steps back out onto the sidewalk.

Is this really worth the risk? Will the consequences ever be fully understood? Does she even have the power anymore?

Hell, why is she making this so complicated? Get back to her. No matter what it takes.

Steeling her will with a deep breath, Max raises her hand. For a short, almost imperceptible blip in time, everything freezes. If Max had blinked, she never would’ve noticed. But with her focus honed in like never before, she did notice, and so she’s emboldened to push even further.

This time, the world around her seems to protest a little. It actually takes a little while for all motions and forces and elements to grind to a halt. She could see the raindrops suspended in midair, the pedestrians caught in the middle of their gaits.

With one last push, all of it starts to move in reverse. Car exhaust flows into the tailpipes, people back their way into buildings while retracting their umbrellas. It’s working.

Like the receptionist said, Chloe had left not so long ago, so it actually doesn’t require too much of a rewind for the right taxi to come backing in. Even from a great distance, Max noticed the blue locks.

Just a little more now.

The car backs up into the parking spot right in front of the hostel, right in front of Max.

Max is so overjoyed to catch sight of Chloe’s face again, she doesn’t even notice the blood trickling from her nose. She releases her hold on time and falls against the window of the car, just barely managing to catch herself on the glass with both hands. Chloe jumps at the sound of the impact. Max could read her lips. Chloe very clearly just exclaimed “What the fuck?”

Having finally caught Chloe’s attention, Max allows a content smile to spread across her face. An intense throbbing in her temples forces her off balance, however. She backs away from the car door. As her vision starts to go dark, she sees Chloe, still stricken with a profound stupor, exiting the car.

A weak cry of “Chloe” escapes from Max’s lips before she collapses onto the pavement.

* * *

While waiting in Max’s hospital room, Chloe didn’t want to sit in silence, so she just put on a random playlist from her phone. The groovy guitar intro to the next song starts playing. As it turns out, the voice which first greets Max back to the realm of consciousness is that of Kelsea Ballerini.

_“I’ll tell you a story before it tells itself.”_

As soon as she notices Max’s eyelids start to flutter, Chloe has already rushed to her bedside.

“Max, can you hear me?”

Max still needed some time for her eyes to focus, but she could still recognize the contours of Chloe’s face. Max reaches up with a feeble hand, desperately wanting to touch Chloe again.

Letting out an ecstatic giggle, Chloe takes Max’s hand and helps bring it to her cheek. A single tear runs down soon thereafter.

“You passed out on the sidewalk,” Chloe explains, realizing that Max is likely too drained to speak. “Of course, the doctors can’t think of a medical explanation for why.”

Max can manage a light chuckle at this.

_“They tell me think with my head, not that thing in my chest._

_They got their hands at my neck this time.”_

Chloe goes on, “Look, I don’t care if another storm comes. Ragnarok itself could be descending on us as we speak. It doesn’t matter. I’m by your side,” Chloe states with authority. “And we get through it together.”

_“But you’re the one that I want._

_If that’s really so wrong, then they don’t know what this feeling is like.”_

Max’s tears come now, but for the first time in what’s been nearly an eternity, these are tears of joy. Chloe smiles back at Max while squeezing her hand lightly.

_“And I say, yeah yeah. Yeah yeah.”_

“By the way,” Chloe then asks Max, “What was so important you had to tell me?”

_“Yeah yeah. Yeah yeah.”_

Max could weave an entire Homeric epic for everything she wants to say. But feeling that the words couldn’t hope to capture it all, Max reaches up with her free hand and pulls Chloe into a kiss.

_“And I say,”_

* * *

_“I’ll tell them a story._

_They’ll sit and nod their heads.”_

Zach walks through the airplane cabin, stopping to remove his earphones when he gets to his assigned aisle. There’s already a girl sitting in the seat next to his. Her long blonde hair is pulled up atop her head. She wears a fine white blouse, navy cardigan, and gray skirt, along with a modest gold cross around her neck. She looks up from her bible and greets Zach with kind hazel eyes.

“Hi,” Zach offers. “This is me here.”

“Of course, please go ahead,” she responds.

Zach takes his seat, removing his glasses to rub his eyes vigorously.

“Tough morning?” She asks.

“Red eye from DC at the crack of dawn, then two-hour layover here in LA.”

“I totally get it. I had to transfer in from Portland.”

“Ah, Oregon girl, huh?”

“I am.”

Zach laughs to himself in bemusement. “They sure make you guys pretty over there.”

The girl can’t help but giggle herself.

“What’s taking you to Brazil then?” Zach inquires.

“I’m doing volunteer work with my church. Making some repairs to local schools, maybe give English lessons to the kids.”

“God’s work. Quite literally.”

“Yes, you could say that. How about you?”

“I got invited for a research project at Federal University in Rio. We’re gonna do some behavioral studies with the tamarins at the Zoological Garden.”

“Wow, I am officially jealous. I love animals.”

“Well, faculty researchers get free admission. If you get a day off or something, I could give you a tour.”

The girl gasps in delight. “Really? I’d love that.”

“Definitely. I don’t have a phone yet, obviously, but you can call the school directory. Ask for Zach Ettenberg. We’ll figure out a way to set it up.”

“You’ll definitely hear from me, Zach. I’m Kate, by the way. Marsh.”

“Ms. Kate By The Way Marsh, nice to meet you.”

Kate finds herself amused by Zach’s admittedly corny humor as the two shake hands.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We’re beginning final preparations for takeoff to Rio de Janeiro.”

“Here we go,” Kate remarks as she places her bible back into her purse.

“How long is this flight anyway?”

“Oh. With layovers it’s like, 20 hours.”

“Shit.”

“Well, hey,” Kate says while taking a sip from her ginger ale. “Gives us lots of free time, right?”

Zach flashes her a winning grin.


End file.
